Thank you so much. My first Parkrun was almost 2 years ago and I finished in just after 39 minutes. So it has taken me 2 years and 28 Parkruns to get here. It was slow. For a long long time I was averaging at around 33 mins. But recently I have been spending time doing intervals whilst doing 5K Training runs twice a week and Parkrun on Saturday. That has really helped in improving my pace. I thought it would be impossible for me to go below 29 minutes. It just took time. Best part is that I get to spend the quality healthy time with my Son.

Thanks again for your lovely comment.

Thank you. It felt wrong to be eating cake at the finish line, but tasted great.

Thank you so much. My legs are feeling it this evening.😀

Thank you. Yes he is a good little runner. At our home Parkrun he drops the hammer for the last 800 meters and usually manages to pass out 12 to 14 people. He stays beside me until then. He has ran 29:30 on a few occasions. But today as we were at a new course he stayed with me and we ran together. It was his first taste of Parkrun tourism.

Up until a few weeks ago my Parkrun PB was 31:04. I could not touch that again for over a year, I was finishing at around 32 -33 minutes. I have been doing intervals whilst running 5K on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Run 1st, 3rd and 5th kilometres at a faster pace than normal and recover at a slower pace for 2nd and 4th kilometres.Two or three weeks ago I got a new PB of 30:38. And today 28:32.

Interval training works really well. But I’m running on and off for almost 2 years so progress has been slow.

Damien

If you have a running watch You can set a pace and try and stick to it. Or likewise on your phone.

Run 1st, 3rd and 5th kilometres at a 6 min/km pace and recover with 7 min/km pace for the 2nd and 4th kilometres. Initially if you need to stop to catch your breath after an interval, pause your watch or phone and take a couple minutes of a break. Then continue on. After a couple of weeks you will be able to run the full 5K whilst doing the intervals.

When you get comfortable running the full 5k with the intervals without stopping start to then switch it up a little, make the fast pace 5:30 min/km pace and recovery at a 6:30 min/km pace. After another couple of weeks you will be able to hold a 6 min/km pace no problem for 5K and that’s a 30 minute 5k time.

It’s hard at the start but I found it works to push your comfort zone. My aim was to get to sub 30 before May, but the intervals worked much quicker than I thought. So my new aim now is sub 27 before end of May. I was 32-33 min per 5K too.

Give it a try, and enjoy.

Damien

Did a main reply instead of a direct reply. D’Oh.

From an Irish-Damien to an Irish-John , thank you. If I’m honest I am still buzzing and looking forward to getting back out for a run tomorrow evening. The 5K fast walk this morning didn’t cut it.😀

Plenty more speed where that came from! Well done my friend!

Best of luck. I’m not fast, and never will be very fast. But I find that the intervals get you used to running at a faster pace even if just for 1Km at a time. Over a few weeks you’ll find that the fast pace becomes normal regular pace.

I know what you mean about running bug, me too. I liked Parkrun until I got to 25th Parkrun. Now I adore it. Will be doing my 30th Parkrun next weekend . I’m on a mission to get a Red T-Shirt this summer. Enjoy the 10K training with your daughter.

Damien

Thanks so much. Yes it was a surprise, I did not intend to do it at that finish time but I felt comfortable at the pace.

Will definitely pull the pace back for the longer runs. Looking forward to it.